Thanks guys. Really good stuff; now I have something to work with when I go shopping tomorrow or the next day.
I think I'll concentrate on a more suit-oriented pair of shoes then, and get something more casual later. Most likely get some black cap toes.
I live near San Francisco, so if anyone here knows of any outlets near me that would be great.
Oh yeah, excuse my ignorance, but what are "bals"?

Hi guys,
I recently bough a new navy suit (reading posts on this board really helped, BTW) and need to get shoes next.
What style/color/brand works with my suit yet is versatile enough to wear with dressy chinos or even jeans sometimes? I got up to $300 to spend.
Thanks in advance.

OK, I need to buy a suit. I haven't worn one in years (I'm now 31).
I want no more than one--of decent quality of course--since I won't use it that often. It'll mainly be for weddings, dressier dinner/dance events, and the occasional church Sunday (also for a job interview coming up). About ten times a year maximum.
So if you could spend up to $1000, what would you get? Also, what color works for most occasions? Charcoal, perhaps?

How do you know when jeans are the right waist size?
Sounds like a stupid question, I know, but let me explain. I've always worn my pants on the low side, partly due to fashion and partly because I was overweight. Now, not only do I feel too old to wear my pants that way, but I've also recently lost about 40 pounds.
I'm not used to wearing normal sizes, and most pants I try on feel too tight even though people around me say they are still too big.
I've heard some...

Quote:
Sad to say that I think the Levi made to measure service has been discontinued for the time being. They sent a letter indicating that it might be reinstated at some future point in time.
I knew it was too good to be true. Was gonna go there tomorrow. Oh well....
Last time I was at Levi they had 501s in "First Year" wash, which I would have snapped up were they not sold out in "normal" sizes. The Premiums looked OK as well, but I'd rather pay...

I'm going on a jeans-shopping "road trip" soon. The mission: find a cool pair of jeans I've never had before.
Up to now, I've mostly had Hillfigers and Levis, but I want to try Sevens, PDCs, Energies, etc.
Is there a place in/near San Francisco/Bay Area that's sort of like a jeans "wharehouse," where I can try on many different (designer) brands without having to go hunting in so many stores?
If no, at least tell me where the best places are to find particular brands....

Quote:
This normally means that the shirt will be Y-.5. Thus, a 34/35 shirt will normally have a sleeve length of appx. 34.5. Sometimes, however, they could be 34 or sometimes 35.
It is, in my experience, only cheaper manufacturers that use the double sleeve measurements. They probably do this because it is more economical -- they increase (theoretically) the number of consumers that could buy any one particular shirt size. Instead of guessing the relative...

I just got a new sweater as a gift. Now, I don't normally wear things like that, but I like it, especially the fit.
The tag says it's 81% cotton and 19% nylon. Will this thing shrink a bit or will it stretch to a bigger size?

How do you guys go about keeping the back of your neck shaved and trim with a nice hairline?
I'm getting sick of having to find somebody else (girlfriend, etc.) to do it for me between haircuts. Can you go to a barber for such a thing and not get charged for a full haircut? You think it's possible for somebody to learn how to do it himself with a bunch of mirrors or something?